Christmas Train Rides in North Dakota (2026)
North Dakota has no holiday train ride of its own in 2026, but it does get a visit from the CPKC Holiday Train. Lit up end to end, with a concert stage in a boxcar, it makes six free stops across the state on December 18 and 19, ending the night in Minot and Kenmare. For a ride with Santa, eastern North Dakota families usually head to Duluth, and the west is closer to the Black Hills. Our state-by-state Polar Express and Christmas train guide covers every option.
The short version
- Christmas City Express, Duluth, MN: Nov 27 to Dec 20, from $38
- No licensed Polar Express runs in North Dakota in 2026; the closest options are in the drive-time table
North Dakota holiday trains at a glance
- Holiday trains
- 1 confirmed for 2026
- Licensed Polar Express
- None in North Dakota in 2026
- Season
- November 27 to December 20, 2026
- Lowest fare
- From $38 (North Shore Scenic Railroad)
- After Christmas
- No rides found
- Last checked
Look inside the book
Riding a North Dakota Christmas train? Read Rally first.
Rally Takes the Train is a corgi’s first train ride, from the early wake-up to the dark tunnel to the sunshine on the other side. It takes about five minutes to read, so it fits in the car on the way to the station. Turn a few pages here.
Rally Takes the Train
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That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
The Nearest Holiday Train Ride for North Dakota
On the map
Where North Dakota’s Christmas trains leave from
- 1Duluth, MN: Christmas City Express
Licensed Polar Express Other holiday trains. Faint dots are North Dakota towns, for shape.
North Dakota has no holiday train ride in 2026, so this is the closest one to the Red River Valley.
Closest from Fargo: the Christmas City Express in Duluth
Holiday storybook trainNorth Shore Scenic Railroad (Lake Superior Railroad Museum) · Duluth, MN
- Operator
- North Shore Scenic Railroad (Lake Superior Railroad Museum)(opens in a new tab)
- Boards at
- Duluth Depot, Duluth, MN
- Season
- Weekends from November 27 to December 20, 2026: Friday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons into the evening
- Ride length
- About 90 minutes, including a 30-minute train ride
- What's included
- A storybook show with carolers and a special guest in the museum, then a ride to Lake Superior with lights, music, hot chocolate and cookies
- Price
- From $38 in Coach; SkyView dome seats and Saturdays cost more
- Tickets
- On sale now
- Best ages
- Made for kids under 10; 2 and under free in Coach
For Fargo and Grand Forks families, the nearest holiday train with a story and a ride is in Duluth. The Christmas City Express begins inside the Lake Superior Railroad Museum at the old Duluth Depot, where kids hear the Christmas City Express story read aloud, sing with carolers and meet a special guest. Then everyone boards for half an hour out to the lakeshore with lights, music, hot chocolate and cookies.
It is roughly four hours each way from Fargo, so plan a night in Duluth. Have your kids write a letter to Santa with your return address and bring it along, since Santa writes back. Boarding the train takes about four steps.
Check dates and tickets with North Shore Scenic Railroad(opens in a new tab)The CPKC Holiday Train in North Dakota
The CPKC Holiday Train crosses North Dakota near the end of its 2026 tour, with Shawnee Kish and Jamie Fine performing from the stage car. Each stop lasts about 30 minutes. You do not ride; you stand by the tracks and watch. Admission is free, and CPKC asks families to bring a donation for the local food bank.
Friday, December 18
Hankinson at 6:45 pm (122 1st Street) and Enderlin at 9:15 pm (101 Harvest Lane).
Saturday, December 19
Carrington at 1:45 pm (601 6th Avenue NE), Harvey at 4:00 pm (600 Lincoln Avenue), Minot at 6:45 pm (10 Main Street North) and Kenmare at 8:45 pm (1st Avenue SW and Central Avenue).
The Carrington and Harvey stops are in daylight, but the train is prettiest after dark. Bundle up: these are outdoor shows in late December.
How Far North Dakota Families Drive for a Holiday Train
Typical winter drive times on clear roads.
| Starting from | To | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | Duluth, MN (Christmas City Express) | About 4 hours |
| Grand Forks | Duluth, MN (Christmas City Express) | About 4 hours 15 minutes |
| Fargo | Detroit Lakes, MN (CPKC, Dec 17) | About 1 hour |
| Bismarck | Hill City, SD (1880 Train Holiday Express) | About 5 hours |
| Williston | Lewistown, MT (North Pole Adventure) | About 5 hours 15 minutes |
The CPKC train also stops in Detroit Lakes, Mahnomen, Plummer and Thief River Falls on December 17; times are on our Minnesota page. Southwestern North Dakota is closest to the 1880 Train on our South Dakota page, and the northwest is a long day from the prairie Santa train on our Montana page.
Free to print
For the drive to the train
Free printable Rally pages with a red train, a maze and a word search.
Get the free printablesWinter Train Tips for North Dakota Families
No Polar Express in North Dakota
There is no licensed Polar Express ride in the state in 2026, and no tourist railroad runs a Santa train here.
Ride the Empire Builder
Amtrak’s Empire Builder stops in Fargo, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Rugby, Minot, Stanley and Williston. A short hop between two of them is a real winter train ride for kids; see our Empire Builder with kids guide.
Packing for a Big Train Day
Rally wakes up early on the morning of his train trip with his suitcase packed and his turtle, his bone and his yellow ball ready to go. A four-hour drive to a Christmas train feels like that to a kid: the getting there is half the fun.
My mom told the first version of Rally’s story, and I finished it after she passed; our story page has the rest. Toss our free Rally coloring pages in the bag for the drive.
A train story for North Dakota kidsRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi on his first train ride, hand-painted in watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon
More for holiday train families
- Find a Christmas train near you: type your town and see every ride in the country sorted by distance
- Christmas train guide by state: licensed rides, costs and booking tips
- Christmas trains in Minnesota
- Christmas trains in South Dakota
- Christmas trains in Montana
- Every Amtrak route with kids, for a real train trip after the holidays
- Free Rally activity pack and coloring pages to print before the ride
Sources
- CPKC: U.S. Holiday Train schedule 2026(opens in a new tab)
- North Shore Scenic Railroad: Christmas City Express(opens in a new tab)
- 1880 Train: Holiday Express(opens in a new tab)
Checked against each railroad’s own pages on . THE POLAR EXPRESS is a trademark of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Each ride is run by the railroad or museum named above; Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Warner Bros. Entertainment, Rail Events or any railroad listed here. Book only through the operator’s own site, and confirm dates and prices there before you go.
North Dakota Christmas trains: questions parents ask
Is there a Polar Express train ride in North Dakota?
No. North Dakota has no licensed Polar Express ride and no Santa train ride in 2026. The state's holiday train event is the CPKC Holiday Train, which makes six free stops on December 18 and 19. The nearest ride for eastern North Dakota is the Christmas City Express in Duluth.
Do any North Dakota Christmas trains run after Christmas?
No North Dakota holiday train we could confirm runs after Christmas in 2026. The last one on this page is the Christmas City Express in Duluth, MN, which runs until December 20. For a ride after the 25th, look at the states near North Dakota in the drive-time table above. It is about four hours from Fargo, so most North Dakota families make it an overnight trip.
Where can families near Fargo, North Dakota find a Christmas train ride?
From Fargo, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Duluth, MN (Christmas City Express), about 4 hours; Detroit Lakes, MN (CPKC, Dec 17), about 1 hour. Each North Dakota ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Fargo families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Grand Forks, North Dakota find a Christmas train ride?
From Grand Forks, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Duluth, MN (Christmas City Express), about 4 hours 15 minutes. Each North Dakota ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Grand Forks families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Bismarck, North Dakota find a Christmas train ride?
From Bismarck, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Hill City, SD (1880 Train Holiday Express), about 5 hours. Each North Dakota ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Bismarck families can compare before they drive.
Where can families near Williston, North Dakota find a Christmas train ride?
From Williston, typical winter drive times on clear roads are: Lewistown, MT (North Pole Adventure), about 5 hours 15 minutes. Each North Dakota ride on this page lists dates, prices and the booking link, so Williston families can compare before they drive.
When does the CPKC Holiday Train come to Minot?
The CPKC Holiday Train stops at 10 Main Street North in downtown Minot on Saturday, December 19, 2026, at 6:45 pm, with Shawnee Kish and Jamie Fine performing. The show lasts about 30 minutes and is free; bring a food bank donation.
Where does the CPKC Holiday Train stop in North Dakota?
In 2026 it stops in Hankinson and Enderlin on Friday, December 18, then Carrington, Harvey, Minot and Kenmare on Saturday, December 19. Each stop is a free 30-minute outdoor concert from the train's stage car, not a ride, and CPKC collects food bank donations.
What is the closest Christmas train ride to Fargo?
The closest storybook Christmas train ride is the Christmas City Express in Duluth, Minnesota, about four hours from Fargo. It runs weekends from November 27 to December 20, 2026, from $38. The Holly Trolley in Minneapolis is about three and a half hours away.
Does the CPKC Holiday Train stop in Fargo?
No. In 2026 the CPKC Holiday Train's North Dakota stops are Hankinson and Enderlin on Friday, December 18, then Carrington, Harvey, Minot and Kenmare on Saturday, December 19. The stops closest to Fargo are Hankinson, with a 6:45 pm show, and Enderlin, with a 9:15 pm show.
Is the Christmas City Express in Duluth worth the drive from North Dakota?
For many families, yes, as a weekend trip. Duluth is about four hours from Fargo, so most North Dakota families stay overnight. The evening starts with a storybook show in the depot museum, then a 30-minute ride to Lake Superior with cocoa and cookies. Coach starts at $38, and kids 2 and under ride free in Coach.
Can you take Amtrak to a Christmas train in North Dakota?
Amtrak’s Empire Builder stops in Fargo, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Rugby, Minot, Stanley and Williston. A short hop between two of them is a real winter train ride for kids; see our Empire Builder with kids guide.